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Feb. 16th, 2009 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stinglikeabeeSome of the recent reactions to Frank Miller’s Spirit movie made me think about this phenomenon though. As Peter David commented on Blog@Newsarama and Heidi MacDonald somewhat echoed on The Beat, “Even when Frank Miller falls, he falls from heights that most of us cannot hope to achieve, myself not excluded. If it’s too much to think that you should show at least a modicum of respect for someone who has devoted his life to this medium, then at least acknowledge that the reason you’re doing the happy dance over the failure of someone who has achieved more in his life thus far is than you likely ever will in the entirety of yours is because you’re unspeakably petty and ungrateful and ungracious.” (via Newsarama)
For better or worse, Miller defined a new generation of comics and introduced new readers to the medium. In my case if it weren't for Miller's Batman Year One and Daredevil Year One, I wouldn't even be spending so much money a month on something as unnecessary as comics or Hard Case Crime paperbacks. But I do, and I trace back my enthusiasm of comics and noir stories to Frank Miller's groundbreaking work*.
And it does seem like the online fan culture loves to kick a person when he's falling. To remind that person when he's become too big for his boots. Maybe even turn the knife stuck in his back just a little more. Though once upon a time I did join in the bonfire of Miller's vanities, the point where it went out of hand was when all these fans suddenly assumed they knew how Eisner would have felt about the movie, and when they started discussing Miller's love life for clues on his alleged misogyny. It's the nature of the beast, unfortunately. Without any clear cut boundaries people are just going to continue to be spew whatever thoughts they have without any shame.
Based upon our comments on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
scans_daily one may conclude we fans are an ungrateful lot. But Jesus, anything on the Internet is bound to be amplified negatively by a million. And who's buying ASBAR? The Internet cranks. So our money is fine, but our bitching -- even when it's juvenile and full of paranoia -- isn't? While I find it as tedious as the next person when someone brings up the 'Dan Didio is an evil monster who hates the character X' gem, the fact that much of the current editorial decisions made seems to be based upon shocking longtime readers I'm not surprised that's 80% of the reaction. Nor am I surprised at the howling when Miller painted The Spirit in his own image (mocked by many) and lost something in the translation even before the movie came out.
I'm not excusing the batshit comments or rants that arise, but just because it's become a sport online to rag on certain creators does not mean it's the same as losing sight of what they've done for the industry. True, the newer fans may find it fun to join in and talk shit about people who have achieved more than they ever will. But there are plenty who are old enough to remember the promise of Miller's early work and feel betrayed by his current output**. To me, it's only fair to allow them their say.
*sure Sin City isn't the best example of noir but it served as the impetus to look for what is; also how funny is it that Miller & Darrow's Big Guy and Rusty is NOTHING like the animated show?
** I'm one of these poor suckers ;___;
TL;DR version: I am doing my happy dance on The Spirit movie failing whilst remembering all that Miller has done for us. Happy now, Peter David?
For better or worse, Miller defined a new generation of comics and introduced new readers to the medium. In my case if it weren't for Miller's Batman Year One and Daredevil Year One, I wouldn't even be spending so much money a month on something as unnecessary as comics or Hard Case Crime paperbacks. But I do, and I trace back my enthusiasm of comics and noir stories to Frank Miller's groundbreaking work*.
And it does seem like the online fan culture loves to kick a person when he's falling. To remind that person when he's become too big for his boots. Maybe even turn the knife stuck in his back just a little more. Though once upon a time I did join in the bonfire of Miller's vanities, the point where it went out of hand was when all these fans suddenly assumed they knew how Eisner would have felt about the movie, and when they started discussing Miller's love life for clues on his alleged misogyny. It's the nature of the beast, unfortunately. Without any clear cut boundaries people are just going to continue to be spew whatever thoughts they have without any shame.
Based upon our comments on
scans_daily one may conclude we fans are an ungrateful lot. But Jesus, anything on the Internet is bound to be amplified negatively by a million. And who's buying ASBAR? The Internet cranks. So our money is fine, but our bitching -- even when it's juvenile and full of paranoia -- isn't? While I find it as tedious as the next person when someone brings up the 'Dan Didio is an evil monster who hates the character X' gem, the fact that much of the current editorial decisions made seems to be based upon shocking longtime readers I'm not surprised that's 80% of the reaction. Nor am I surprised at the howling when Miller painted The Spirit in his own image (mocked by many) and lost something in the translation even before the movie came out.I'm not excusing the batshit comments or rants that arise, but just because it's become a sport online to rag on certain creators does not mean it's the same as losing sight of what they've done for the industry. True, the newer fans may find it fun to join in and talk shit about people who have achieved more than they ever will. But there are plenty who are old enough to remember the promise of Miller's early work and feel betrayed by his current output**. To me, it's only fair to allow them their say.
*sure Sin City isn't the best example of noir but it served as the impetus to look for what is; also how funny is it that Miller & Darrow's Big Guy and Rusty is NOTHING like the animated show?
** I'm one of these poor suckers ;___;
TL;DR version: I am doing my happy dance on The Spirit movie failing whilst remembering all that Miller has done for us. Happy now, Peter David?
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Date: 2009-02-16 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-16 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-16 09:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-16 11:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 10:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 10:11 am (UTC)On one hand, I have been having serious discussions with people about how depressingly negative everything in comics fandom feels lately (there are times I feel like I have to apologize for actually enjoying a work these days, and that annoys me.)
On the other hand, the post at Newsarama, where we are supposed to feel sorry for the poor artists and writers who work 12-15 hour days? Uh, no. Sorry, my pain is reserved for the nurses, policemen, and factory workers pulling double shifts and all those many who are unemployed.
On one hand, creators are human and some people forget that. I will never forget the time that I read someone actually arguing that Devin Grayson really wanted to sexually assault Nightwing. I mean, I don't like Devin's work, but that was going too far.
But on the other hand? I have no respect for all that Frank Miller has contributed to the genre. I am thankful for Elektra but he lost all my respect at the 100000th use of the word "whore." Or at the first rat. One of the two.
TL;DR version: When I write my "50 Things In Current Comics That Make Me Happy," the fact that a hell of a lot of people seem to have FINALLY realized Frank Miller is a overrated punk will be high at the top of that list.
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Date: 2009-02-18 08:23 pm (UTC)*sigh* Trouble separating the writer from the work, and personally attacking them? That's an online sport nowadays. As for Devin, it really, really sucks. I've been a big fan of her early work and missed out on what amounted to her downfall, reading up on it later. I get the hate, I get the dismissal but at the same time I have to wonder about the circumstances. It just seems so out of place for her, and I don't know if she ever spoke out about it either.
Ah, I wouldn't say the word I would use is 'respect' either. More like tolerate. And even then, I don't think it quite fits. That 50 Things in Current Comics That Make Me Happy list though, would be a fantastic read and deserving meme.